will these ferocactus grow in this location?

[firebarrelman]

I have a house in topock Arizona near the Colorado river and was wondering if certain ferocactus can grow there. I already have 3 mammillaria microcarpa, 2 mammillaria dioica, one golden barrel cactus, 2 fire barrels(ferocactus cylindraceus) , two small giant saguaros, and a very large adult ocotillo as well as an unknown species of prickly pear that has salmon red colored flowers and produces red fruit. but I am adding a ferocactus wislizenii, I was also looking at a ferocactus emoryi and a ferocactus herrerae, but will these three ferocactus grow there?

[firebarrelman]

to make it easier topock is near lake havasu

[firebarrelman]

bump

[jp29]

I think they will grow just fine there, firebarrelman - I seem to recall some Ferocactus wislizenii growing as landscape plants in the front gardens of homes in Lake Havasu City.

[firebarrelman]

should I add lava rock and pumice to the soil to support the cacti and wat else should I add to it? the area will house many mammillaria dioica and microcarpa, a golden barrel cactus, fire barrel cactus, 2-3 small saguaros, 2 prickly pear cacti, one to two ferocactus wislezenii, one ferocactus herrerae , and one ferocactus emoryi, and possibly a few enchinocearus.

[firebarrelman]

should I add lava rock and pumice to the soil to support the cacti and wat else should I add to it? the area will house many mammillaria dioica and microcarpa, a golden barrel cactus, fire barrel cactus, 2-3 small saguaros, 2 prickly pear cacti, one to two ferocactus wislezenii, one ferocactus herrerae , and one ferocactus emoryi, and possibly a few enchinocearus.

the soil is somewat like clay soil so should I add the above?

[greenknight]

The problem with trying to add coarse material into fine-textured soil to improve drainage is this - water doesn't move easily between layers of soil that have greatly different textures. You can produce a layer that will become completely saturated before water will soak any deeper. It's also very difficult to mix very much of it in, it usually ends up in pockets or layers instead of a uniform mixture if you try to add a useful amount.

A way to overcome that is to build a raised bed - since it's above ground level, it won't be standing water. There are other advantages, too - useful info at Rick's Garden and Landscape Blog: Growing Cacti in Raised Beds.

If you don't want the work and expense of building raised beds, better to go with the soil you got. You can mound it up slightly so water can't puddle around the necks of your cacti, that will help.